German word

mitbekommen

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈmɪtbəˌkɔmən/

Meaning

  • verbcatch

Example

Entschuldigung, ich habe deinen Namen nicht mitbekommen.

Sorry, I didn't catch your name.

Illustration for mitbekommen (catch)

More examples

Er hat den Anfang der Präsentation nicht mitbekommen.

He didn't catch the beginning of the presentation.

Core concept

A passing sound or event reaches the mind and becomes part of what is known.

Common phrases

  • den Namen mitbekommen

    catch the name

  • schon mitbekommen

    already hear

  • von der Diskussion mitbekommen

    hear about the discussion

Similar words

hören: To hear a sound or voice with the ears.
verstehen: To grasp the meaning of words or a situation.
mitkriegen: To hear about a rumor or event in casual speech.

Definition in German

etwas zufällig hören oder wahrnehmen und dadurch erfahren

Word origin

Mitbekommen combines the separable prefix mit- ('along, with') with bekommen ('get, receive'), yielding the idea of receiving information as it occurs.

Usage tips

  • Mitbekommen is separable: 'Ich bekomme seinen Namen mit' places mit at the end in a main clause, while 'mitbekommen' stays together after a modal.

Other meanings

  • noticeverb
  • learnverb
  • graspverb

Opposites

  • überhörenfail to hearverb
  • ignorierendisregardverb

Word lists with this word